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After braving the cold, it’s great to come home and enjoy some warm, filling comfort food, like a steaming bowl of pasta. And since getting out of bed in the morning is harder, you need to drink a couple of extra cups of coffee to perk up. And the fact that it gets dark so early means that you’re
ready for your first glass of wine earlier. See where we’re going with this?
“We have a natural tendency to OD on carbs, stimulants, and alcohol in the winter to boost our moods temporarily,” says nutritional psychologist Julia Ross, author of The Mood Cure. “It’s one way we try to compensate for the lack of sun.” Thing is, going overboard not only makes you feel worse in general but also can cause you to think of yourself as less attractive and eat even more to comfort yourself. And that means you’ll have a harder time being excited about a night out on the town with your BF in your skintight LBD.
To break the cycle, make it a point for you and your guy to eat high-protein foods that have serotonin-boosting nutrients — like lean steaks, fish fillets, cottage cheese, and eggs. And avoid the common trap of overloading on carbs in the morning (though it’s fine to have some). You’ll feel better and have higher energy levels to use on whatever strenuous indoor activity you may choose.